In less than a matchcord
by Morgane Lurker
Summary: In an attempt at getting rid of Krew and his bar,and get Tess's attention, Jinx lits one fuse too much. Tess x Jinx


Morgane: So I figured I'd write another TessxJinx, but a lot more cheerful. This one takes place during the ring challenge, during which Jinx tries to just blow up his problems. Good luck to that, I'd say.

**In less than a match-cord **

Smiling, Jinx began to roll out the match-cord. One, two, three...

... Eighteen, nineteen, twenty feet, he counted while rounding the street corner. Sig would get darn surprised when he came to the bar this morning, this had the bomb expert assured him already the night before.

"_Jus' make sure ya don't show up before ten past nine tomorrow, 'kay buddy?"_

"_Guess so, chili. What's going on?" the taller Wastelander had asked while sipping at his drink._

"_It's a surprise, you'll see tomorrow. Remember -not before' ten past nine!"_

The roll of match-cord eventually ended in a small fuse, which Jinx lit with the cigar butt. Sitting down on one of the few un-vandalized park benches in the area, he watched the sparks travel along the wire. When they finally reached their goal all problems would be out of the world: No more bloody Hip Hog or raunchy boss whom demanded a certain barmaid's time- just Jinx and-

''Hi there, Jinx!'' He flinched a little as Tess's cheery voice pulled him out of his plotting. "What are you doing here?" Without warning, She sat down next to Jinx. Not that she was unwelcome, really - Pity the hiss of the fuse had faded away around the corner, it woulda been a perfect sound-effect to the blonde girl's sparkling eyes.

"I'm tryin' out a new fuse I got this morning, baby" Jinx replied. "Where's Jakey-boy and Dax, by the way?"

"They're racing that scum-drag Erol through the town" Tess muttered. "He better not hurt my little schnuckums, because he'll pay for it". Tess suddenly smiled to the man beside her. "Do you know what Dax calls Erol?" She giggled, "sunshine pants!"

_Please Mar no more about 'e rat! _Jinx suppressed a pang of jealousy and annoyance before he spoke:

"Sounds like you shoulda been out there cheerin' for 'em, then".

"Yeah, I'd love to, but I've got work". With a most adorable pout, Tess nodded toward the bar. "Well, I've gotta run, see you later!" She moved to stand up, but Jinx's hand shot out to grab her by the elbow.

"Ya should't go there" he said, suddenly anxious.

"What do you mean?" Tess's baby blue eyes went even wider in confusion. Jinx felt it was time to tell her.

"Y'know all those times when ya said Krew'll bother the pulp outta you? And ya wish ya'd never ever need ta serve 'nother drunk creep his beer? I've fixed it".

"Rea…really?" Tess wasn't sure if she'd like the what the pyrotechnist had to say. Right now, his behavior even reminded her a little of those drunk creeps.

"Yeah!'' the corners of Jinx's mouth threatened to meet in his neck, "I'm about to blow up Hip Hog with only match-cord and the powder keg it's leading to, baby!"

Tess let out a gasp.

"But Jinx, you can't do it! The underground needs me spying in the bar!"

Jinx's mouth dropped agape at the unexpected reaction, and would most likely have continued to the ground if muscles and skin hadn't held it in place.

"But - Pretty-girl, I thought you'd be glad ta get rid of Krew-"

"Maybe if you had blown up Krew _after_ the war is over, not right now when we need his information!" Tess bolted down the street to Hip Hog, Jinx stumbling after her. She had already run inside the bar when he rounded the corner of the block, trying to catch up with the last foot of match-cord -

_Boooooooom…._

The debris from Hip Hog's former facade fell over Jinx with a mighty rumble. He could hear supporting beams hit the ground nearby as he coughing crawled out of the smoking masses, just as sooty as the other person crawling out from underneath the ruins of Hip Hog. They stared at each other for a second, amazed at being alive and in one piece, before Tess suddenly yelled out:

"_JINX, YOU'VE GOT TEN SECONDS HEAD START, THEN-!"_

He stood there with a shocked look on his face, and in the same second he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Is this the surprise you talked about, Dynamite?"

* * *

**Minor Edits done** 09.08.2011


End file.
